Death toll in fiery UPS plane crash rises to 9, with more than a dozen still unaccounted for

The death toll in Tuesday night’s horrific UPS plane crash in Louisville has risen to at least nine and is expected to jump even more, as Kentucky’s governor warns more than a dozen families have reported loved ones missing.

“This is going to be a tough day for Kentucky after yesterday’s deadly plane crash,” Gov. Andy Beshear wrote on X Wednesday morning.

“The number of those lost has now risen to at least nine, with the possibility of more.”

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He said at a reunification center that 16 families have come forward and reported relatives still unaccounted for.

Beshear said a “significant” search and rescue effort was underway overnight and continues this morning. 

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At a press conference Wednesday morning, Beshear said more than 200 first responders were on the scene of the blaze, and declared a state of emergency to help get state resources in place more quickly.

He also said Louisville Metro has put out guidance to residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity of the crash site not to consume any tap water for the time being. 

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However he said the warning didn’t apply to those in the suburbs or other parts of Louisville.

Beshear said he was returning to Louisville this afternoon to survey the damage with Mayor Craig Greenberg, and that additional information would be forthcoming at a press conference to follow.

UPS Flight 2976 was carrying three crew members and 50,000 gallons of jet fuel when it exploded in a massive fireball around 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday just 13 minutes after takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

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The Hawaii-bound plane appeared to lift off the runway with one of its wings on fire before flipping on its side and crashing to the ground at Muhammed Ali International Airport, shocking video shows.

In a statement, the company said it was “terribly saddened” by the accident, and offered “heartfelt thoughts” to everyone involved.

“We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the accident and are staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts,” the global shipping and logistics company said.

UPS is the largest employer in Louisville, where the international shipping company is headquartered. 

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The airport in Louisville houses UPS’ largest package delivery hub, known internally as “Worldport,” with more than 300 flights taking off and landing from the facility each day. 

Worldport processes some 2 million packages a day, and has the capacity to process up to 416,000 packages per hour, according to The Associated Press. The center has room for up to 125 aircraft to comfortably park.

With 20,000 locals working at the center, UPS is the largest employer in the Louisville area, Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe telling the outlet that everybody in town knows at least one person who works there.

“This is a UPS town,” she said. “My cousin’s a UPS pilot, my aide’s tennis partner is a UPS pilot. The intern in my office works overnight at UPS to pay for college.”